Hanzel Residents Face Power Outages and Job Promises Unfulfilled at Hanzel Hydropower Project

Residents of Hanzel in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit Baltistan are experiencing severe power outages despite being near the Hanzel Hydropower project, a major electricity generation facility. According to Pamir Times, locals are frustrated over the lack of job opportunities at the 20 MW Hanzel Hydropower project. Despite promises from officials, no jobs have been provided to locals, and outsiders are being recruited instead.

Local leader Haji Muhammad Nasir and other residents reveal how the ambitious electricity project has been pushed towards failure. Haji Muhammad Nasir said, “The 20 MW project has not been started yet, and instead of giving opportunities to our people, they are recruiting outsiders. We will protest if this continues. They had promised that our people would get jobs in the hydropower project, but nothing has happened. Whenever we try to reach the officials to raise our complaint, we are just given fake promises and assurances with no result.”

Another resident emphasized the government’s promised agreement to provide jobs to locals after the project starts. “There was an agreement for providing jobs to locals, signed between people and the government, and still nothing has been done. The agreement clearly states that our people will get jobs. In the initial days of the project, merely two to three locals were given jobs, but no such jobs were given after that, and we have been kept in the dark,” the resident said.

A tourist from Islamabad also noted the electricity issues, saying, “Electricity is the most essential thing in these areas. It’s been 20 to 25 days since I was here, and I have witnessed only 5 to 6 hours of electricity.”